Echo & Alexa Forums

What would you like Echo to do?

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ScarlettPhoenix

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #60 on: October 10, 2015, 09:33:53 am »
I just sent in my redundant alarms suggestion (for the umpteenth time) since today's milestone was sleep timers.
I'm hoping that redundant alarms "Alexa, set an alarm for 5:30am Monday through Friday every week" will be coming around the bend pretty soon.

*crosses fingers**

ScarlettPhoenix

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #61 on: October 10, 2015, 09:38:11 am »
In some households, leaving routine items on the shopping list would work. In other households (buyers are not so coordinated), leaving an item on the list means that two or more people buy it.  If the item is checked, was it checked this week or last week?

The main point of my suggestion is that Amazon is getting data from us on our consumption habits.  This is the kind of data that marketers (and Amazon) love. It may take Alexia several months to learn something but I would find it useful if it offered to share this with me so I can use it.

I don't know if I want Alexa all up in my business that much (getting data from my consumption habits) but having the choice of leaving items on the list is great. Both my husband and I shop and  we actually have come home with duplicate items simply because one of us already purchased it and didn't delete it from the list.   Maybe a 'stay' or some radio button to activate when you want an item to reappear, yet delete it/grey it out from the current list?

Disabled Echo

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #62 on: October 12, 2015, 06:31:56 pm »
Just for giggles I wish the Echo would recognize its own commercials (or ignore them).  It wakes it every time, luckily it's nothing too obnoxious.  But how funny would it be if Alexa said, "Hey I'm on TV!"

pn2865

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #63 on: October 27, 2015, 06:51:47 pm »
I would like a "skip forward" or "skip backward" command when listening to podcasts or any song, just like most MP3 players have. Right now, if I listen to half of an hour podcast, I cannot later restart where I left off.

cfkane

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #64 on: November 01, 2015, 11:56:57 pm »
I too would like to see stock prices.
MLS, English and other European soccer scores.
Movie showtimes at local theaters.
days between dates
 

rptoday

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #65 on: November 12, 2015, 02:46:11 pm »
I'd like to see it emulate a Logitech Harmony remote hub. If even just to turn the system on and off would be really cool.

I'd like it to read my Gmail, I'd like it to use my iPhone to make a call and send text messages (fat chance).

George Jetson

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #66 on: November 13, 2015, 10:42:29 am »
I would like the ability to add my calendar to the Flash News Briefing.  Right now it plays the news you select, along with the local weather.  It would be nice to hear your calendar events for the day following the local weather.   For me this would be a complete Briefing.

Cardynal

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #67 on: November 16, 2015, 08:08:57 am »
I'd like to have Alexa be able to read a Word or PDF document aloud. That would help me get prepared to write additional paragraphs after I get done washing dishes.

hammer51012

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #68 on: November 29, 2015, 10:37:32 am »
I would like it to connect with "https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/" to be able to stream the audio from various Police & Fire departments.

videodave1

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #69 on: November 29, 2015, 04:28:08 pm »
The the android app @ voice aloud reader can red a pdf from a phone or tablet .I send the audio to the echo by way of Bluetooth.

mike27oct

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #70 on: November 30, 2015, 03:41:53 am »
Being visually impaired, I should have looked into this sooner, so I googled for an app for the iPad, etc., and there is no app needed -- this feature has been part of iOS since iOS 5!  See this link:  http://lifehacker.com/5870185/make-your-iphone-ready-any-text-aloud-with-just-a-few-taps

Easy as pie to setup and to read an email from my iPad on to the Echo.  This is a lot more useful than just using with an Echo; reading long articles for me comes immediately to mind. Thanks for the incentive to look into this.

txkevin1

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #71 on: January 08, 2016, 05:49:19 pm »
Still getting to know Alexa but here would be my wish list so far....  1.  assign a unique name to replace Alexa.  2.  Ability to set a  recurring Alarm (ie...remind the kids at 6:45 to watch for the bus)  3.  Have Alexa say the title of the Alarm..  (ie "this is your reminder to Check on your Brisket"),  4.  Have Alexa do behind the scenes monitoring of certain things and let you know when they occur (ie.  Alexa, let me know when there is an LSU game on TV within the next 12 hours, or Alexa, let me know when the DOW changes more than 3% compared to the previous close, or Alexa, let me know when a birthday is listed in my calendar for the upcoming week).

haj

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #72 on: January 14, 2016, 02:41:34 pm »
Id most of all like to be able to make a (local) API call to my echo that then does TTS on whatever string I send... :) (I don't mind if it uses could for TTS, but it would be preferable to use a local call for the API call I guess).

I use TTS in my homeautomation setup, and it would be nicer to use Echo for it.

brent87

Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #73 on: January 26, 2016, 03:22:58 pm »
3 things that seem very doable:
1) ability to pause timers by voice: you can do it now via the app, but would be easier to just ask alexa.  Siri can do it :)

2) Networked echos that can used as an intercom:  "Alexa, tell Luke to come downstairs for dinner" and it would send the voice command "come downstairs for dinner" to a specific echo identified as "luke's".   Really a big gap in the market for a simple wifi intercom that would eliminate shouting all over the house...the wireless intercoms you can get are terrible.  Wired ones cost $thousands.  Bonus would be that my son's would use it for music and the intercom announcement would lower the music so he could actually hear it.

3) bluetooth audio out: Or better yet, airplay (I know this won't happen, but I can dream).  I know this is a popular request, but without it I really don't use the echo much for audio since I already have a whole house surround system that sounds much, much better.  I would use the echo music a lot more (and purchase most music from Amazon) if this was available so they are losing $ by not having it...seems like it should be a simple software solution since bluetooth is already integrated.

Offline jwlv

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Re: What would you like Echo to do?
« Reply #74 on: January 26, 2016, 04:59:39 pm »
I really like your #2 idea. Voice activated networked intercoms would be a great a convenience! And it seems to be easy enough to do using the same type of programming as the the Simon Says command.

3 things that seem very doable:
1) ability to pause timers by voice: you can do it now via the app, but would be easier to just ask alexa.  Siri can do it :)

2) Networked echos that can used as an intercom:  "Alexa, tell Luke to come downstairs for dinner" and it would send the voice command "come downstairs for dinner" to a specific echo identified as "luke's".   Really a big gap in the market for a simple wifi intercom that would eliminate shouting all over the house...the wireless intercoms you can get are terrible.  Wired ones cost $thousands.  Bonus would be that my son's would use it for music and the intercom announcement would lower the music so he could actually hear it.

3) bluetooth audio out: Or better yet, airplay (I know this won't happen, but I can dream).  I know this is a popular request, but without it I really don't use the echo much for audio since I already have a whole house surround system that sounds much, much better.  I would use the echo music a lot more (and purchase most music from Amazon) if this was available so they are losing $ by not having it...seems like it should be a simple software solution since bluetooth is already integrated.